LISBON: Portugal veteran Pepe announced on Thursday in a video on social media he was retiring from football aged 41.
“I would like to thank you all,” said the center-back as he cited the clubs he represented, as well as the Portuguese national team and his family.
“Everyone gave me the support I needed to leave with my mind at ease.”
Pepe joined Portuguese side Maritimo at the age of 18 and went on to play for Porto, Spanish giants Real Madrid and Turkish club Besiktas.
He spent a trophy-laden 10 years with Madrid, where he won three Champions Leagues, two Club World Cups and three Spanish league titles.
He also enjoyed two stints at Porto, between 2004-2007 and 2019-2024, winning a total of four Portuguese championships and five Portuguese Cups.
Although born in Brazil, the center-back made his international debut for his adopted country of Portugal in 2007 and went on to earn 141 caps, winning their first piece of major silverware at Euro 2016, as well as the Nations League three years later.
Pepe set a new record as the oldest player to ever play at a European Championship when he started Portugal’s opening game at Euro 2024, aged 41.
Portugal’s elimination on penalties at the quarter-final stage of the tournament against France turned out to be the final game of Pepe’s 22-year career at the top level of the game.
Portuguese football federation president Fernando Gomes labelled the defender “one of the greatest players of all time” and thanked him for his “extraordinary professionalism, dedication... and passion for football.”
Portugal defender Pepe announces retirement at 41
https://arab.news/23mcg
Portugal defender Pepe announces retirement at 41
- “I would like to thank you all,” said the center-back as he cited the clubs he represented
- “Everyone gave me the support I needed to leave with my mind at ease“
Nice defender Abdelmonem sidelined with cruciate ligament tear
“Mohamed has suffered a cruciate ligament rupture”
PARIS: Egyptian defender Mohamed Abdelmonem suffered a cruciate ligament injury in his right knee during Nice’s 3-1 win over Ligue 1 leaders Paris St. Germain on Friday, the club said on Saturday.
“His injury will remain the dark cloud hanging over Nice’s victory in Paris over PSG. It was in the 63rd minute of the match at the Parc des Princes when Mohamed Abdelmonem collapsed in Nice’s penalty area,” Nice said in statement.
“The first images led us to fear that it was a serious injury. The various medical examinations carried out immediately after the match confirmed ... Mohamed has suffered a cruciate ligament rupture.
“OGC Nice dedicates the three points to him and will do everything possible to support him during his months of recovery so that he can return to the pitch even stronger.”
The victory lifted Nice to fourth in the standings with 54 points from 31 games.
Bayern cruise past Mainz 3-0 but title celebrations on ice
- The Bavarians can secure a 34th German league title with a win at RB Leipzig next week
- They will have to do it without Bundesliga top scorer Harry Kane
MUNICH: Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich eased past Mainz 05 3-0 on Saturday but had to put title celebrations on ice after Bayer Leverkusen matched their win to stay eight points behind with three matches left to play.
The Bavarians, who top the standings with 75 points ahead of reigning champions Leverkusen, can secure a 34th German league title with a win at RB Leipzig next week.
But they will have to do it without Bundesliga top scorer Harry Kane, with the England striker desperate to clinch the first trophy of his career for club or country, as he will be suspended after picking up a fifth booking and a suspension.
“It’s not ideal but we won,” said Bayern coach Vincent Kompany of Kane’s yellow card. “But it is not like a final (next week).”
“We will play 34 games this season and I think (injured) guys like Jamal (Musiala), Alphonso (Davies), Dayot Upamecano and (Hiroki) Ito also have to celebrate the title,” he said
“Every title you have to celebrate it like it’s your first so I don’t think it will make much of a difference for Harry.”
“It doesn’t take away a single percent of his contribution this season.”
With 24 league goals this term, the 31-year-old England captain looks set to become the first player to be crowned the league’s top scorer in each of his first two Bundesliga seasons.
“Crazy, crazy decision,” said Kane. “It’s kind of my story that I’ll miss the Leipzig game. But no worries, I’ll celebrate more than anyone else.”
Mainz dropped to seventh place and outside the European qualifying places.
With Mainz briefly down to 10 players due to the injury of Anthony Caci, Leroy Sane made the most of the extra man, firing in after a quick combination in the box with Serge Gnabry to give Bayern a 28th-minute lead.
The Bundesliga leaders, who last week were eliminated by Inter Milan in the Champions League last eight, doubled it with Michael Olize’s solo effort and superb finish from a tight angle five minutes before the break.
Sane, who is in talks with the club over a contract extension, twice hit the woodwork in the second half before Eric Dier headed home their third goal in the 84th.
Thomas Mueller came on late in the second half to make his 500th league appearance for Bayern, with the 35-year-old leaving at the end of the season after 25 years at the club.
He is only the fourth player to reach that mark in the Bundesliga featuring for one club after Charly Koerbel (602 games for Eintracht Frankfurt), Manfred Kaltz (581 matches for Hamburg SV) and Michael Lameck (518 for VfL Bochum).
Leverkusen beat Augsburg to postpone Bayern’s title celebrations
- The still reigning Bundesliga champions are on 67 points, eight behind leaders Bayern
- The Bavarians can seal their 34th league crown with a win at RB Leipzig next week
LEVERKUSEN, Germany: Bayer Leverkusen beat Augsburg 2-0 in the Bundesliga on Saturday to postpone leaders Bayern Munich’s expected title win by at least a week.
The still reigning Bundesliga champions are on 67 points, eight behind leaders Bayern with three matches left to play. The Bavarians can seal their 34th league crown with a win at RB Leipzig next week.
Before Saturday’s game Leverkusen fans greeted coach Xabi Alonso, who led their team to an undefeated domestic league and Cup double last season, with loud applause and the unfurling of banners urging him to stay at the club.
The Spaniard, who has a contract to 2026, is a target for several top European teams, including reportedly Real Madrid, and has declined to say if he will be at Leverkusen next season.
Forward Patrik Schick struck in the 13th minute with Leverkusen’s first real chance, drilling home from the edge of the box for his 19th league goal of the season.
Leverkusen had the ball in the net again but Nathan Tella’s header at the far post was ruled offside.
They made amends in first-half stoppage time when Emiliano Buendia curled a shot past goalkeeper Finna Dahmen to make it 2-0 and ensure three points for the hosts.
“It was a better game for us, with better energy and more self-belief,” Alonso told a press conference.
Leverkusen had drawn their previous two league games to lose ground in the title race with Bayern.
“We were solid and focused and I’m satisfied with this game. We’ll use this feeling for the next three games,” Alonso added.
Ipswich relegated from Premier League after 3-0 loss at Newcastle
- Ipswich have 21 points, 15 behind West Ham United with four games left
- Newcastle moved up to third place on 62
NEWCASTLE: Ipswich Town were relegated from the Premier League on Saturday following a 3-0 defeat at Newcastle United, with the visitors reduced to 10 men after Ben Johnson was sent off for picking up two yellow cards in the first half.
Ipswich have 21 points, 15 behind West Ham United with four games left, while Newcastle moved up to third place on 62, five behind second-placed Arsenal and one ahead of Manchester City in fourth in the race for Champions League football next season.
Needing a victory to have any mathematical chance of staying up, the scale of the task facing the visitors quickly became apparent as Newcastle attacked in waves and had a goal disallowed in the 22nd minute when Bruno Guimaraes was found to have obstructed goalkeeper Alex Palmer.
Things went from bad to worse for Ipswich when Johnson was booked for diving in the 30th minute and sent off seven minutes later as he picked up his second yellow card for pulling back Alexander Isak.
As the break approached, Sandro Tonali fired a shot off the woodwork before Newcastle finally took the lead in first-half stoppage time, Isak scoring from the spot after Julio Enciso was penalized for pulling down Jacob Murphy.
With Newcastle raining crosses and set-pieces into the box, Dan Burn netted the second with a header 11 minutes after the break, climbing highest to steer the ball home from close range.
By now the 10-man Tractor Boys were hanging on grimly but there was no respite as Newcastle brought Anthony Gordon, Callum Wilson and William Osula off the bench.
Osula had an immediate impact by netting a towering header from a corner two minutes after coming on to consign Ipswich to the drop into the Championship.
IPL climax impresses South African greats AB de Villiers and Chris Morris
- As the tournament heads into its sixth weekend, the top six teams are separated by just two points
LONDON: This year’s Indian Premier League is serving up a thrilling climax and two of South Africa’s cricketing greats, AB de Villiers and Chris Morris, are delighted with how the 18th event is unfolding.
As the tournament heads into its sixth weekend, the top six teams are separated by just two points, with sides such as Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, Lucknow Super Giants and Bengaluru Royal Challengers pushing for a maiden title.
De Villiers, who scored 5,162 IPL runs at an average of 39.70 and a strike-rate of 151.68, believes every team remains in contention.
“I’ve loved the IPL this season because all the teams have a chance to feature in the finals. All the teams are still in the running, which is great to see as we are just past halfway in the tournament. My call is that I would like a new team to win it this year,” De Villiers told sports website sportsboom.co.za.
“The tournament started with a bang with some very high scores. But the totals have come down now, and I have called before for the balance between bat and ball to be evened out.”
Morris, who became the most expensive overseas player in IPL history when Rajasthan Royals signed him for $2.3 million in 2021, said that the unpredictability has been the tournament’s biggest draw.
“It’s been so unpredictable, and the results haven’t been as consistent as previously. There are teams that you definitely think will finish in the top three but they’re not featuring at the moment like Hyderabad Sunrisers. They are an explosive side with proper bowlers, but they’re second-from-bottom,” Morris told Sportsboom.
“I now think Delhi Capitals might win because they have a lot of experience and guys that are not scared to play. Mumbai Indians are always pushing for the title, but they started badly. But if they get on a roll then they are so dangerous. Chennai Super Kings have some youthful players but have not featured as much as I thought they would,” he said.
De Villiers and Morris, both key figures in popularising the IPL in South Africa, also cast an eye over the new generation of Proteas stars impressing in India.
“Aiden Markram has been in really good form, which is wonderful just before the World Test Championship final in June,” De Villiers said.
“Any runs are great because it reinforces your belief in your ability. Form is a fickle thing and sometimes a fifty in a T20 game can allow you to take confidence into a Test match. So, it bodes well for Aiden and the Proteas.
“It’s a shame Kagiso Rabada has only been able to play a couple of games before coming home, because it’s always nice to see him in action; he’s one of my favorite bowlers because of the way he thinks about the game.
“David Miller has been a bit quiet, he’s played a couple of good innings, but I’m sure he’ll come good at the back end. Marco Jansen has shown what a wonderful cricketer he is with bat and ball.
“Ryan Rickelton looks so good but is just not converting. But he looks lethal and I’m sure at some stage he’s going to play another big knock. It was great to see Dewald Brevis finally get a chance with CSK and score 42 off 25,” he said.
Morris also floated a potential rule change to help bowlers combat the rising scores.
“Nowadays, teams are chasing 230 easily. Back in the day, you conceded 200 and you thought you had no chance; then teams would score 210 and it was game on. The dynamic has changed and so does the mindset of the bowler,” he said.
“I believe you need to arrive at the game knowing that you’re going to be slapped around and it’s just how you deal with it. Nowadays, if you go for 40 or 45 runs, I’d say you’ve done well, especially if you are a new-ball or death bowler, where there is nowhere to hide.
“I would actually like to propose a rule change: If you bowl a dot-ball, then it should be minus one run to the batting total. With the sizes of the fields, the pitches and the ball being the same weight, there have been no changes to allow the bowlers to catch up with the batters,” he said.
Morris also praised South Africa’s batting contingent.
“Our South African batsmen have hit their straps nicely. Heinrich Klaasen has had a few starts but has probably not done as well as he would have wanted, although he is starting to show some form,” he said.
“Marco Jansen has been consistent, he’s bowling in different periods of the game, and he’s bowled some beauties, as well as hitting a few balls out of the ground. I’m upset Faf du Plessis has been injured, but Tristan Stubbs has been very good. He’s averaging 61 which shows what a gun batsman he is and that he really understands his roles.
“Ryan Rickelton has stood out nicely because there is always so much pressure playing for Mumbai Indians. He’s slotted in well and played every game. Aiden Markram has also been gun and I’m very glad to see him batting so well now. It’s difficult if you don’t score runs in the first couple of games, but he bats at an important time and Justin Langer has really backed him with Mitchell Marsh at the top.”
